He Makes Amazing Things Happen

The school made an announcement that text cards (small playing cards) are no longer allowed in the school. I had a small talk with the grade two students about it. I explained that I know how important these things are for them because they invested their money and time in order to have them. However, I made a great emphasis that these things are not going to do them good. I told them that they need to trust us (their teachers) about matters like these. I assured them that we love them so much that is why we would do our best to guide them towards their growth in their relationship with the Lord. These cards have with them images that do not promote the beauty of God’s creation. I encouraged them to invest on things that are eternal rather than temporal. We ended our small talk and agreed that they would no longer bring them in school and I told them that I would not force them to give them all to me because I want them to make a decision regarding this matter.

Days passed by. Then one day I went to the class 2 room and saw these cards. I felt awful inside and I must admit that I was very uncomfortable knowing that dealing with an issue like this would take much time and might lead to uncontrollable emotional expressions coming from specific students. I must say that dealing with whatever kind of issues is never easy for a young teacher who just started teaching 7 months ago. For the past months, I encountered issues that made me realize how hard it is to deal with them. I am, in a way, aware of the possible outcomes of dealing with issues like shouting, crying, and other stuffs alike. But I know that issues should never left unsettled especially that the goal of our school is to make sure that the children would know Christ more in their daily lives.

To be honest, I had no idea what to do (like I always do). I was very silent. I took a chair and sat at the front as I try to earnestly seek God. I don’t want to miss this opportunity to minister to these children. Back in my school, our teacher in counseling always reminded us that we can rely on God in moments like these – that we can seek Him and He will meet us right where we ought to be. I know that the Lord would help me like what He has been doing for the past 7 months of my teaching. I sat there, very silent, and talked less about the agreement that we had. I sat there wondering what might happen, waiting for what the Lord has to do.

Then a student came up to me, gave me a handful of these cards. I slowly took the box of trash and tore them one by one. As I did that, I feel awful inside knowing that these things are important for them. But I would never be prepared for what happened next. Another student came up to me and out from his pocket came a great amount of text cards. All the more my heart cried as I held in my hands more. I took time tearing everything. I thought it was over. I was still not finished with the second batch of playing cards when another student came up and gave every card he has. I was so shocked to see so much. And I felt worse inside. I was holding my tears as I try to think how hard it is for them to do this.

But the Lord even more surprised me that day, my students came up to me and helped me tear the texts cards, their text cards and it was really funny because they started laughing (like what they love to do). As I try to look at them, I realized how powerful God is in the lives of these students. Once again, I found myself in a position wherein I was the one being ministered with instead of me ministering to them. That day, the Lord made me realize the reality of laying down what’s important for His glory.

I am privileged to be there at that point and see them respond in a very positive way. Up until now, that event still brings tears in my eyes and joy in my heart.

I am not sure if they would stop playing and collecting playing cards, what I am sure of is the reality of God working in their lives progressively. They might not be that perfectly consistent in their daily application of God’s truth, but I have faith that our God is alive and He has amazing ways to show His glory to us and also to these young hearts.

That day marked as an important event in my life as a teacher. The Lord reminded me that life is beautiful and life is worth living for His glory. He reminded me that He is amazing; thus, He can make amazing things happen. He showed me the impossible in so many ways. He taught me all the more about life. I went to this school to be an instrument by God, but most of the time, I found myself being ministered more by these children. Indeed, everything in life when lived for Him will never be predictable and boring – To God be the Glory!

Teacher Kim Aranas